Impact of new calendar on clubs

[pillow]

But it's not just those two. As my fuzzy memory tells me, it's the same with Denver, for instance. For goodness sakes, even Tucson had a side hall they used for one day in addition to the main one---and the main one was shared with some sort of trade show. There was space there, it just wasn't all used.

It's not smart to build convention centers too small for potential lessees, you know. Unless you're talking about small towns, they usually don't.

Again, I suspect that the sticking point is expense, not capacity. Which is a fair argument in itself, of course.

Not but what I have no problem with Atlanta, myself...

Edit: This gives me an idea. If there are really complaints about the "circus" atmosphere of Nationals, and if in fact there are all these sponsors just waiting with bated breath to rush in and give us lots of money if only we separate events...why not just lease 4 halls of the same venue? One each for Div 1, Juniors/Cadets, Youth and "the rest of us". Then these sponsors can just pick which one they want to support...and we still have everyone more or less together.

Sounds reasonable to me. However, I feel, as you seem to as well, that this "sponsorship" stuff may not be real. It has been offered by the USFA as a rationale for a very bad plan, but no details have been released. Therefore, I am not convinced that it exists. The point is, even if millions of dollars were offered by sponsors, which I highly doubt, it would not justify gutting the schedule as has been proposed.

[Inquartata]

Well, as I have said before, I wonder whether all this talk of sponsorships in the wings if only we'll change A, B and C isn't the USFA version of the FIE's intimations of promises by unnamed "television executives" to put fencing in prime time if only they'd do X, Y and Z to make fencing more "spectator friendly".

So we changed X, Y and Z---thanks again, M. Roch, for this stupid visor mask---but strangely the prime time coverage still didn't materialize.

I'd like to see the signed contracts for sponsorship once we do A, B and C. But I suspect that they don't exist. I suspect that there are only noncommittal statements which will evaporate like the morning fog once we try to grasp them...

But I could be wrong. I'm willing to be shown proof that I'm wrong.

I'm just not going to hold my breath.

[flechewounds]

Well, as I have said before, I wonder whether all this talk of sponsorships in the wings if only we'll change A, B and C isn't the USFA version of the FIE's intimations of promises by unnamed "television executives" to put fencing in prime time if only they'd do X, Y and Z to make fencing more "spectator friendly".

So we changed X, Y and Z---thanks again, M. Roch, for this stupid visor mask---but strangely the prime time coverage still didn't materialize.

I'd like to see the signed contracts for sponsorship once we do A, B and C. But I suspect that they don't exist. I suspect that there are only noncommittal statements which will evaporate like the morning fog once we try to grasp them...

But I could be wrong. I'm willing to be shown proof that I'm wrong.

I'm just not going to hold my breath.

Agreed - I would prefer to see a multi-year contract that is signed as justification for the changes.

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!

This is what happened. The joke was from the Norwegian side (who always take a dim look on the Swedes) about how to implement such a drastic change.

According to the Norwegians some Swedes contemplated the idea of a gradual implementation of the new rule of traffic by proposing that on "H-day" (the initial letter of the word "right" in Swedish) all passenger cars switch to the right while all trucks, buses and commercial vehicles would do so a week later...leaving that first week as an easier transition week (yes this is/was a Norwegian joke, sorry Peter!)

No problem, I have heard that one before, and found it funny. Anyway, we Swedes tell jokes about the dumb Norwegians all the time anyway.

A web sampling:
Q: why did the Norwegian pour water in the computer?
A: Because he wanted to surf the internet!

Once upon a time, the Norwegians and the Swedes were at war with each other, and both were in trenches.
A swede suddenly got an idea. He yelled, as loud as he could, a common Norwegian family name:
- JOHANSEN!
Whereupon a Norwegian stood up and answered:
- THAT IS ME!
And promptly got shot.

The Swede hollered once more:
- MICHELSEN!
Whereupon another Norwegian stood up and answered:
- THAT IS ME!

Then a Norwegian thought that he should do the same thing, so he yelled as common Swedish name:
- SVENSSON!
Then it could be heard:
- Who is calling?
Whereupon the third Norwegian stood up and answered:
- THAT IS ME!

But it's not just those two. As my fuzzy memory tells me, it's the same with Denver, for instance. For goodness sakes, even Tucson had a side hall they used for one day in addition to the main one---and the main one was shared with some sort of trade show. There was space there, it just wasn't all used.

Heck Inq - I would have thought that you would have jumped at the chance at not being close to us "smelly" epeeists again!

That said, I have no idea on whether splitting up stuff is, on balance, a good thing for US. fencing. For comparison, the Swedish fencing nationals are held in several different places each year, usually split according to age and Ind/team status. IIRC, there was a recent year where the various national events were split into 6 different competitions.

If competitions were split according to gender, rather than according to age/weapon/indVSteam, then this would not force fencers to travel all that much more. Different story for organizers, refs, etc, though.

USA is in a predicament of its own, since it is the only country (except Russia, and maaybe Canada) which both has high-level fencing, a significant number of fencers competing nationally, and a large area. In countries which are an order of magnitude smaller than USA, travel is simply less of an issue. the large countries of Russia and China adapt to that by simply adjusting their local schedules to fit their national teams, bottom-feeders be damned.


Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson

[Greybeard]

I thought all those jokes were done in Minnesota and I heard them left and right whilst in college there. That is until I did an expat assignment in Stockholm and took a tour. As we passed a park with a rustic log cabin in it the driver referred to it as the Norwegian Embassy.

I have been reading this and have to chime in about the wheelchair program. We do not have that many events and then they tend to be canceled for lack of attendees.

I just joined chair fencing and had to buy a chair (not cheap) and travel is less exciting than it used to be. I happen to like competition so this may be specific to me, but there is a lost group here who seems to be the red headed stepchild. Fencing (again fo me) has been amazingly theraputic and some of the guys I meet at tournaments are very into the sport as well. OK, this just sounds like a Sunday morning rant, but I don't want to get lost in the shuffle when the number of events in which I can participate has been sliced drastically.